CONTRA COSTA Countywide Bicycle and Pedestrian Plan Executive Summary July 2018 i
The preparation of this report has been financed through a grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation and the Federal Highway Administration under the Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act (MAP- 21). Content of this report does not necessarily reflect the official views or policy of the U.S. Department of Transportation. ii
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY To support and encourage walking and bicycling in Contra Costa, the Contra Costa Transportation Authority (CCTA or Authority) adopted its first Contra Costa Countywide Bicycle and Pedestrian Plan (CBPP) in 2003 and updated it again in 2009. The CBPP builds on and expands the goals, policies and strategies of the Countywide Transportation Plan (CTP). Both plans set goals for increasing walking and bicycling and identify actions the Authority and its partners should take to achieve them. Numerous studies and research, in a variety of communities, have demonstrated the benefits of creating an environment where walking and bicycling are safe, comfortable and convenient, including: Increased walking and bicycling can benefit air quality by reducing emissions and energy use from motor vehicles Improving access by foot or bike can make transit more convenient Regular walking and bicycling can reduce mortality rates and health care costs Walkable communities are associated with higher home values and added bicycle facilities are associated with increased retail sales Bicycle and pedestrian facilities cost less to build and maintain than other transportation facilities The 2018 CBPP reflects many new policies, best practices and standards developed over the last decade as well as newly-adopted local active transportation plans. New funding for pedestrian and bicycle projects has also become available. Especially important is the increased interest in and support for walking and bicycling. iii
WHAT WE HEARD To develop the 2018 CBPP, the Authority took new approaches to public outreach. This outreach included a CBPP website with online surveys and interactive maps, pop-up events throughout the county, and an online town hall. From the public, we heard several themes: Improve pedestrian crossings Add separated bikeways Connect the different pieces of the bicycle and pedestrian networks Educate all road users to improve safety and enforce rules of the road Add bike parking at destinations Reduce traffic speeds Improve Safe Routes to School and to Transit From local staff, we heard support for several options: Identify short- and longterm project priorities Identify a regional backbone bikeway network Support complete streets corridor studies Integrate bike/pedestrian planning with efforts to reduce VMT and meet SB 743 requirements Incorporate Best Practice Design Guidelines Create a pedestrian crossing toolkit Provide guidelines for improving interchanges and intersections Identify innovative funding strategies iv
The 2018 CBPP makes a number of updates to reflect changes since 2009. Four new approaches are especially important in making this update a modern and comprehensive reflection of county needs. FOCUS ON THE INTERESTED BUT CONCERNED To encourage more walking and bicycling, the 2018 CBPP reflects the concept of the four types of bicyclists: the one percent who are strong and fearless and who will ride even on stressful streets, the seven percent who are enthused and confident and who prefer dedicated bike facilities, the 60 percent who are interested but concerned and who need clearly separated facilities to feel comfortable riding, and the 33 percent who either cannot or will not ride. The 2018 CBPP explicitly focuses on creating a bicycle network that reflects the needs of the interested but concerned 60 percent. LEVEL OF TRAFFIC STRESS The 2018 CBPP introduces a new way of evaluating a roadway s level of traffic stress (LTS). In this approach, roadways are evaluated based on several factors speed and number of vehicles and presence and width of bicycle facilities to determine how stressful a roadway is for bicyclists. Roadways are given a rating from one (least stressful) to four (most stressful). The 2018 CBPP incorporates the LTS approach to create a network of bikeways that better serve the 60 percent of people who are interested but concerned. more connected. This goal is in keeping with the CBPP focus on encouraging the interested but concerned. One of the most significant of those new standards is the separated bikeway. These bikeways, also known as cycle tracks, are physically separated from motor traffic with some kind of vertical separation but are distinct from the sidewalk. They combine the user experience of a separated path with the onstreet infrastructure of a conventional bike lane. COMPLETE STREETS PLANS The 2018 CBPP encourages local agencies in Contra Costa to develop complete street plans, both alone and collaboratively. These corridor plans would identify designs for streets, especially those on the Countywide Bikeway Network, that would transform streets that are currently high-stress as well as where low-stress facilities are not yet been proposed in other planning efforts and identify appropriate implementation strategies for low-stress facilities. NEW STANDARDS AND BEST PRACTICES The 2018 CBPP supports the new best practices developed since the last plan. These new practices and standards focus on making crosswalks and bikeways safer and v
THE FOUR TYPES OF BICYCLISTS 1% 7% 60% 33% STRONGandFEARLESS ENTHUSEDandCONFIDENT INTERESTEDbutCONCERNED NOwayNOhow LEVEL OF TRAFFIC STRESS LEVEL OF TRAFFIC STRESS Level of traffic stress (LTS) is a way to evaluate the stress a bike rider will experience while riding on the road. It is used to categorize roads by the types of riders above who will be willing to use them based on: Number of Travel Lanes Speed of Traffic Number of Vehicles Presence of Bike Lanes Width of Bike Lanes Presence of Physical Barrier LTS 1 LTS 2 LTS 3 LTS 4 Most children can feel safe riding on these streets. The mainstream interested but concerned adult population will feel safe riding on these streets. Streets that are acceptable to enthused and confident riders who still prefer having their own dedicated space. High-stress streets with high speed limits, multiple travel lanes, limited or non-existent bikeways, and long intersection crossing distances. vi
THE 2018 CBPP GOALS 1. Encourage more people to walk and bicycle 2. Increase safety and security for pedestrians and bicyclists 3. Create a safe, connected, and comfortable network of bikeways and walkways for all ages and abilities 4. Increase the livability and attractiveness of Contra Costa s communities and districts 5. Equitably serve all of Contra Costa s communities while ensuring that public investments are focused on projects with the greatest benefits OBJECTIVES 1. Increase the share of trips made by walking and bicycling in Contra Costa 2. Reduce the rate of pedestrian and bicycle fatalities and injuries per capita 3. Increase the number of miles of lowstress bikeways in Contra Costa 4. Increase the number of jurisdictions in Contra Costa with bicycle, pedestrian, or active transportation plans 5. Integrate complete street principles and best practices into Authority funding and design guidance vii
RICHMOND # 580 Crockett Hills Park }þ 80 4 HERCULES PINOLE SAN PABLO Tilden Park ORINDA }þ 24 # MARTINEZ Mt. Wanda Briones Park LAFAYETTE PITTSBURG 680 # }þ }þ 4 }þ 160 CONCORD PLEASANT HILL }þ 4 Black Diamond Mines CLAYTO N Preserve Mount Diablo State Park }þ 4 OAKLEY BRENTWOOD Discovery Bay Alcatraz Island na Yacht or MORAGA Las Trampas Wilderness 680 Round Valley Park Los Vaqueros Reservoir Clifton Court Forebay DANVILLE SAN RAMON no in Washington Edendale Las Positas Lester William Pedestrian Priority Areas Within 1/4 mile of Public Schools Incorporated Area # Amtrak Station BART Station PEDESTRIAN PRIORITY AREAS WALKING Everyone is a pedestrian for at least part of all trips, whether that means walking to a bus stop, rolling to a train station, shopping, or even just getting to and from one s car. To move about safely and comfortably, pedestrians need well-designed and maintained walkways and crosswalks that provide access to jobs, homes, shopping, schools, transit stations, parks and other common destinations. The CBPP identifies several kinds of improvements needed to encourage more walking: Walkways, curb ramps and safer crossings Traffic calming More direct connections between destinations Streetscape improvements Recognizing the need to focus our investment in improvements for people who walk, the CBPP identifies Pedestrian Priority Areas. These areas include a more diverse mix of uses and higher densities as well as a connected pedestrian network that supports pedestrian activity. The designated PPAs include areas within walking distance of schools and major transit stops and locations with the greatest concentrations of pedestrians collisions. Improvements made in the PPAs are more likely to create a safe, connected pedestrian network that encourages walking. Walking is man s best medicine. Hippocrates viii
# R I C H M O N D 580 Crockett Hills Park }þ 80 4 H E R C U L E S P I N O L E SA N PA B LO Tilden Park O R I N D A }þ 24 # M A RT I N E Z Mt. Wanda Briones Park L A FAYE T T E P I T T S B U R G 680 }þ }þ 4 }þ 160 C O N C O R D P L E A S A N T H I L L }þ 4 Black Diamond Mines C L AY TO N Preserve Mount Diablo State Park # }þ 4 O A K L E Y BR EN T W O O D Discovery Bay Alcatraz Island na acht or M O R A G A Las Trampas Wilderness 680 Round Valley Park Los Vaqueros Reservoir Clifton Court Forebay D A N V I L L E S A N R A M O N no in Washington Edendale Las Positas Lester William Existing Low Stress Bikeway Proposed Low Stress Bikeway Incorporated Area # Amtrak Station BART Station COUNTYWIDE BIKEWAY NETWORK BICYCLING The 2018 CBPP identifies a network of bicycle facilities that together form the Countywide Bikeway Network (CBN). This network, when implemented, will achieve three objectives: it will provide facilities to connect Contra Costa s communities and key destinations, serve all ages and abilities by addressing the barriers created by high-stress arterials and collectors, and create a regional backbone that connects and supports more local bikeways. Ultimately, the CBN will consist of only regionally-significant bicycle facilities, either existing or proposed, rated low-stress (LTS 1 or LTS 2). Of the 662 miles in the CBN, only about 149 miles are currently developed as low-stress facilities. The remaining 513 miles in the CBN will require corridor studies by local jurisdictions and agencies to identify what lowstress facilities will be most appropriate. Ultimately, the low-stress CBN would be made up of a full range of facility types, including: Multi-use Trails The bicycle is the noblest invention of mankind. William Saroyan Buffered Bike Lanes Bike Boulevards Separated Bikeways Improve Across Barrier Connections at interchanges and other locations ix
IMPLEMENTING THE PLAN PROJECT COSTS AND FUTURE FUNDING Category Estimated Cost of Bicycle / Pedestrian Projects in the CTPL Cost / Funding Estimate $1,404,069,000 Estimated Committed Funding $172,000,000 Shortfall $1,232,069,000 Potential Future Funding $790,000,000 Shortfall $442,069,000 STRATEGIES AND ACTIONS Through its funding and oversight roles, the Authority can support and encourage walking and bicycling in Contra Costa by: Facilitating cross-jurisdictional collaboration on approaches and priorities Supporting innovation and new approaches Providing education and encouragement Offering technical assistance to jurisdictions and agencies Funding projects and programs that support the Authority s vision and goals Monitoring walking and bicycling and the achievement of CBPP objectives Updating Authority plans and procedures The 2018 CBPP also identifies actions to carry out these strategies as well as an implementation program that divides tasks between the Authority and its partners. COSTS CCTA s Comprehensive Transportation Project List (CTPL) contains 339 bicycle-pedestrian or Safe Routes to School projects with a total cost of around $1.4 billion. Our current estimate of funding committed to bicycle, pedestrian and Safe Routes to School projects is, however, only about $172 million, according to the 2017 Countywide Transportation Plan (CTP). This will leave a shortfall of about $1.2 billion. The CTP also estimates a potential $790 million that could become available through new funding sources. While this potential funding would significantly reduce the shortfall, a substantial deficit will remain as shown in the following table. These estimates, which include a significant number of unfunded projects, point to the need to increase the funding available to build, maintain and operate the proposed network of safe, connected facilities for people who walk or bicycle. The Authority s legislative program has long supported efforts to protect and expand the funding available for transportation projects. The Authority will use the costs identified above to support and increase its efforts in securing new funding to implement this plan s strategies and better serve people who walk and bicycle in Contra Costa. The 2018 CBPP like the Authority s CTP is designed as a funding advocacy document. By identifying needed improvements to support walking and bicycling in Contra Costa and the strategies needed to carry them out, the CBPP can help the Authority and its partner agencies make a better case for funding those improvements. x
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